ROUND A LONDON COPSE 



*N October a party of wood-pigeons took up 

 their residence in the little copse which has 

 been previously mentioned. It stands in the 

 angle formed by two suburban roads, and the 

 trees in it overshadow some villa gardens. This 

 copse has always been a favourite with birds, and 

 it is not uncommon to see a pheasant about it, 

 sometimes within gun-shot of the gardens, while 

 the call of the partridges in the evening may now 

 and then be heard from the windows. But though 

 frequently visited by wood-pigeons, they did not 

 seem to make any stay till now when this party 

 arrived. 



There were eight of them. During the day 

 they made excursions into the stubble fields, and 

 in the evening returned to roost. They remained 

 through the winter, which will be remembered as 

 the most severe for many years. Even in the 

 sharpest frost, if the sun shone out, they called to 

 each other now and then. On the first day of the 

 year their hollow cooirig came from the copse at 

 midday. 



iz 177 



